


Wrong Impression

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Drama, M/M, Pre-Het, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-25
Updated: 2006-03-25
Packaged: 2019-02-02 16:47:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12730446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: Jack and Daniel have a confrontation.





	Wrong Impression

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

Haven't you wondered   
Why I'm always alone   
When you're in my dreams 

"Jack?" Daniel's voice was very soft as he peered back at the man who stood on the other side of his apartment door. _Oh, this was truly a brilliant job, Jackson._ Daniel chided himself. 

What the hell had he been thinking? What had ever possessed him to even imagine that Jack O'Neill would be remotely interested in him as anything other than a friend? _Probably not even that any longer._

He'd had too much to drink. Daniel knew better than to even begin to drink. Especially anything stiffer than beer. Jack had once told him he was a cheap date and a cute drunk. 

_Not so cute anymore, huh, Jack?_

Daniel had practically flung himself at Jack earlier that night. It wasn't supposed to get so out of hand. Just a kiss, that was it. Just testing. Love you, Jack. Love me too, Jack? 

Yeah right. 

Haven't you wondered   
Why you're finding it hard   
Just looking at me 

Jack was still standing in the doorway, looking at Daniel as if he didn't recognize him. What do you want, Jack? My fault, Jack. Not yours. All mine. "Was there something you wanted, Jack?" 

Jack blinked heavily, and shook his head. "Can I come in?" his voice sounded shaky, not like himself at all. He was having a hard time thinking straight. The events of earlier crept back into his mind. They'd been sitting on Jack's couch at his house, watching some stupid special on the migration of wildebeests or something equally stimulating. Daniel had insisted Jack would like it. 

He hadn't. As a matter of fact, after about ten minutes of the damn thing Jack had become stupefied with boredom. He'd gone to the liquor cabinet and taken out a bottle of vodka. He'd offered Daniel some, and things had gotten...different. 

He'd royally fucked this up. Jack had been shocked when Daniel had laid his head in Jack's lap. Pleasantly shocked. It was a privilege Jack hadn't been granted since Charlie had died, the feeling of someone having that kind of relaxation and easiness when around him. Jack had a tendency to intimidate the hell out of everyone. The fact that it was Daniel only been an additional benefit. 

Jack **had** enjoyed the way Daniel had completely relaxed, and he'd found himself stroking Daniel's hair lightly, the way he'd done with Charlie when he was younger. Before he'd decided he was too old to be held. Daniel, evidently, had never decided that. 

Oh, this is great. His best friend had just confessed to being in love with him, and here Jack was, thinking about how much Daniel reminded him of his son. No wonder Danny had bolted. 

Have you ever wondered   
If this was ever more   
Than a crazy idea 

"What are you doing here, Jack?" Daniel asked again. He didn't feel like going through this right now. He'd already humiliated himself once. Couldn't Jack have at least waited until the morning? 

Jack sighed heavily. He didn't really know why he'd come. He had simply gotten into the car, with the intention of clearing his head. Too many emotions were bouncing around inside of him, and Jack had needed to relax, to get away from the problem. 

Instead, he'd driven right to it. 

"I needed to see you," Jack answered honestly. _Huh._

Daniel blinked in the bright light of the hallway. He wasn't wearing his glasses, his feet were bare and his hair mussed. Jack promptly felt his blood supply rush south. "Why?" 

Okay, truth time. "It relaxes me." What the hell was he doing? 

Danny looked confused. Good. That meant Jack was keeping him guessing. It was when Daniel got sure about things that you had to duck. "Do you have any idea how strange that sounds?" Daniel asked. 

_I'm starting to get an idea._ Jack had the feeling sanity was beginning to slip away from him. This was all Daniel's fault. Jack had been very happy living in denial. Pretending that the interest he'd had in Danny was strictly platonic and friendship had suited him fine. Okay, so Jack had begun to pay a bit more attention to the physical aspect of his best friend. So, what? It wasn't like he was the only guy at the SGC who thought Daniel was hot. Hell, half the base tripped over their own tongues whenever Daniel walked down the hall, and Jack had distinctly heard from several different sources that Daniel's ass was **the** most coveted in the Stargate program. Well, at least until Jack had decided **he** wanted said ass, then people had begun to run whenever Daniel walked down the hall. Normally because Jack was looming behind him, glaring at everyone else. 

Until Daniel had pulled his little stunt tonight Jack had been perfectly happy being confused. Now, suddenly, everything had clicked into place. He'd figured it out. Damn it. 

Loving Daniel + Being attracted to Daniel = Being IN love with Daniel 

_Ha! See there, Carter? I can do complicated equations too!_ His mother would be proud. 

"I can imagine," Jack told him, answering Daniel's question after a moment of silence and another odd look from the object of his affection. _Really can imagine. Getting easier every second, here._ Jack sighed heavily; he'd been doing alright with the honesty thing so far. Maybe he should stick with it. "I feel better when I'm around you." 

Daniel's bright blue eyes widened in response to the comment. "I'm so afraid you're about to say something awful." 

Jack frowned at him, "Don't be pessimistic. That's my job." He eyed Daniel sidelong for a moment. "This would be so much easier if you didn't look like that." 

Daniel looked down at himself and then back up at Jack. "Does this bother you?" 

_Any more bothered and you'll be on your back._ "Oh, no..." Jack sighed. "Um..." his hand went up to massage the side of his neck. 

"What do you want, Jack?" Daniel repeated. He'd already apologized for what had happened. He didn't know what else to do. He would talk to Hammond first thing Monday morning about a transfer. He couldn't go on seeing Jack everyday. Not now. 

"I need to talk to you. And I can't really do it here in the hallway," Jack gestured towards the people who came out of the elevator. 

Daniel sighed and held the door open. "Try not to ruin everything by being you," Daniel told him. 

Jack smiled at him, despite trying not to. "I think we could do without the wisecracks." 

Daniel blinked at him as Jack came through the doorway, catching the way Jack looked at him as he walked past. "Yeah," Daniel said softly. "Maybe we could." 

Have you ever wondered   
What we could've been   
If you'd only let me in 

"Danny, I don't know how to do this," Jack said softly as he stood staring at the bookcase. He picked up an object off the shelf and moved it around in his hands. He wasn't sure what it was. Jack thought it was a vase. 

"Do what?" Daniel eyed the other man's rigid back warily. He didn't much trust Jack with any of the artifacts sitting around the room. "Put the vase down, Jack." 

Well, at least he'd been right about it being a vase. Jack set the vase back down. A horrible feeling had just settled in his stomach. For the first time in a very long time, Jack O'Neill was terrified out of his mind. Odd that Daniel would be the one to put that fear in him. "I think I'm in love with you." 

"You should take the vase with you, Jack. If it means that much to you." 

Jack turned to face Daniel. "Prick." 

"You 'think'?" 

"Occasionally," Jack answered. "Try not to spread it around though...I got an image to keep up." 

"Jack," Daniel reprimanded. "You don't know?" 

Jack was suddenly finding the Persian rug beneath his feet very interesting. _Yes._

Daniel sighed heavily. "This is too much," he walked back to the door and held it open. "'Bye, Jack." 

"Wh-what?" Jack was genuinely shocked. 

"You're not sure," Daniel told him. "And you're not ready. And we really don't have the time to wait for you to **get** ready." 

"I--I--" Jack stuttered. 

"You can't even say it, Jack." Daniel's voice sounded small. "Can you?" it came out as a whisper. _Tell me, Jack. I won't let you fall, I promise._

I want you   
But I want you to understand   
I need you   
I love you 

Jack was terrified. He realized that now. He was honestly and truly terrified.  
And Daniel knew it. He was scared too. _What a fine pair we make._   
Daniel stared at him for a moment, before closing the gap between them.  
Daniel's lips brushed his gently, sending a shock of electricity through Jack.  
Danny was away from his grasp before Jack had the chance to even react. "I'm  
leaving with SG-3 tomorrow for a scouting expedition of R4X-096. I'll be gone  
for three days." Daniel stared him directly in the eye. "That's three days,  
Jack. Try to make up your mind by then." 

Daniel held the door open for Jack to walk out. "This isn't goodbye, Jack. Not  
yet." 

Jack wanted to say something. He wanted to tell him...so badly. But, the words  
froze on his tongue. Daniel was stronger than him. Jack realized it in that  
moment. Always had been. He'd taken the first step...kept pushing Jack forward.  
He couldn't make Jack move anymore. Jack would have to take those steps on his  
own. 

Jack merely nodded and stepped out as the door closed behind him. "I love you..." Too late. 

Didn't want to leave you with the wrong impression   
Didn't want to leave you with my last confession   
Wasn't trying to pull you in the wrong direction   
All I wanna do is try and make a connection


End file.
